A third victim has died after a lightning strike near the White House and has been identified as a 29-year-old Los Angeles bank executive.
Brooks Lambertson, a vice president for City National Bank, was in Washington on business when he was hit by lightning Thursday night in Lafayette Park, located directly outside the White House complex, the bank said in a statement Saturday. Lambertson was pronounced dead on Friday evening.
A husband and wife from Wisconsin were also struck by lightning and died of their injuries, the Metropolitan Police Department said on Friday. The fourth victim, a woman, was hospitalized in critical condition, the police department said. Her identity has not yet been released.
Lambertson managed sponsorships for the bank and previously worked in marketing for the Los Angeles Clippers, according to City National’s statement. He lived in downtown LA.
“Brooks was an incredible young man who will be remembered for his generosity, kindness, and unwavering positivity,” the statement said. “His sudden loss is devastating for all who knew him, and his family, friends, and colleagues appreciate the thoughts and prayers that have poured in from around the country.”
He graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he majored in recreation, parks, and tourism administration, with a concentration in sports management, the bank said.
The deceased Wisconsin couple have been identified by the Metropolitan Police Department as 76-year-old James Mueller and 75-year-old Donna Mueller. They were visiting Washington to celebrate their 56th wedding anniversary, according to their niece Michelle McNett.
Officers with the Secret Service and the U.S. Park Police witnessed the lightning strike Thursday night and ran over to render first aid, officials said.
The four victims were found in “the vicinity of a tree” and were transported to hospitals in the area, said fire department spokesman Vito Maggiolo. Emergency medical crews arrived just before 7 p.m. ET.
The DC Fire and EMS Twitter account posted a statement and images of ambulances arriving at the scene. “Apparent lighting strike Lafayette Park NW. #DCsBravest on scene in the process of treating and transporting 4 patients, all in critical conditions,” read the post.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre expressed her condolences in a statement on Friday.
“We are saddened by the tragic loss of life after the lightning strike in Lafayette Park,” Pierre said. “Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones, and we are praying for those still fighting for their lives.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
